Hinge.



No. 830,916. PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

A R. B. MoGUEN.

HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEETL v PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

R. E. McGUEN.

HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED ma ze, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2..

ROBERT E. MOCUEN, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

HINGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

Application filed August 29, 1905. Serial No 276,299.

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. MOCUEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lexington, in the county of Fayette and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hinges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to connecting means whereby provision is had for a swinging of one part upon another, as a door, shutter, gate, or like closure upon the stile, j amb, post, or other support to which the swinging part may be connected.

The invention consists of a hinge of novel formation embodying a ball-and-socket joint, the object being to procure a ball-bearing rotary hinge to cover these essential features in few parts; to procure a hinge of this nature at a small cost; to make it easy of application; to reduce friction to a minimum; to allow the gate or door to be swung open or closed from any direction to admit of ingress and egress; to procure a hinge of sufficient strength and simplicity, yet cheap, that will prevent the gate or door from sagging, and creating no jolt or jar to cause same or its posts and frames to get out of alinement; to procure a hinge that will not admit of the gate being jarred or knocked from off its hinges and also prevent the gate from being removed easily from its hinges by evil-designed or mischievous persons to procure a hinge with the rotary and oscillating movement which is so essential to gates equipped with patented and other operating opening and closing mechanism.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a hinge embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the hinge, taken in a plane at a right angle to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the hinge, the parts being separated and arranged in a group. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modification, the dotted lines showing the operation. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a modified form of hinge. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the link connecting the socket members of the modification.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters. 1

The preferred form of hinge shown 1n Flgs.

1, 2, and 3 comprises, essentially, two mem-' bersa ball member 1 and a socket member 2. The ball member embodies an arm 3 and hemispherical projections 4 upon opposite sides of an end portion of the arm. These parts are preferably of integral formation. The hemispherical projections 4, being oppositely disposed, constitute, in effect, the ball which cooperates with the socket member 2. The arm 3 may be of any formation and adapted to be attached to one of the articulating or swinging parts in any manner. As shown, a plate 5 is provided at the end of the arm 3 opposite to that bearing the ball. The plate 5 is apertured to receive bolts or like fastenings for securing the member 1 to the cooperating part. The plate 5 and arm 3 constitute a bracket, the ball being at the outer end thereof. A flange 6 projects from the ball and is located between the hemispherical projections or parts thereof and is adapted to come between the sections or separated parts of the socket to hold the member in the required position.

The socket member 2 preferably consists of similar parts, which are separable to admit of prlacing the ball in position or removing it om the socket, as may be required. Each part or section of the socket member consists of a plate 7 and offstanding portion 8, in which is formed a semispherical depression 9, corres onding to a projection 4 of one-half of the ball. Each of the plates 7 is formed with one or more openings to receive bolts or like fastenings, whereby the socket member is secured in place. To insure alinement of the parts or sections and to prevent relative displacement thereof, a positive interlocking joint is provided between them and consists of a lug 10 and a depression 11.

WVhen the members are assembled, the ball of the one is snugly fitted in the socket of the other, and the gate, door, shutter, or like swinging part, hinged by connecting means embodying the invention, maybe swung open or closed from either side, will adapt itself so as to hang perpendicularly and. may not be displaced, and is'adapted to swing without perceptible jar or vibration. The socket is well adapted to receive a lubricant which is commonly employed for greasing axles, and by reason of the peculiar formation of the socket, embracing upper and lower portions of the ball, foreign matter is excluded from the joint and the lubricant retained and prevented from wasting. In the modified form shown in Figs. 4;, 5, and 6 the hinge embodies two socket members 12 and an intermediate link 13, the latter consisting of a plate provided at opposite ends with balls which cooperate with the respective socket members 12. Each socket member 12 is constructed substantially like the socket member 2. Hence a detail description thereof is not deemed necessary. The link 13 tapers in width from a middle point toward each end, the balls at the ends thereof consisting ofhemispherical projectionsl l, located opposite each other so as to form, in effect, ball elements to snugly fit and cooperate with the socket members; The provision of the link 13 admits of a great range of movement of tlzz he hinge, as indicated by the dotted lines in A hinge constructed in accordance with the present invention admits of a close joint being had between the relative swinging parts, and the gate, door, or like closure may be readily operated in either direction with a minimum amount of jar and vibration.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A hinge comprising a ball member and a cooperating socket member, the ball member having an annular or circumferential flange and the socket member having parts separated to receive between them the dia metrical flange of the ball member.

2. A hinge, the same consisting-of complemental socket members, and an intermediate link having balls at opposite ends fitted to the respective socket members, said'link being flattened and widened intermediate of its ends to prevent relative turning and to provide an annular or circumferential flange which comes between the separated parts of the respective socket members.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAS. D. OAssmY, CON L. MURPHY. 

